The next generation

Last night, WAN hosted a design showcase in partnership with Arup - who sponsored the 2012 21 for 21 Award - at the engineering giant’s London base to highlight the creative genius of our 2012 21 for 21 WAN AWARD winners. The unique event was attended by an elite selection of architects, engineers, emerging designers and established developers including representatives from three of the thirteen 2012 winners.

The WAN 21 for 21 Award is a major international initiative aiming to highlight 21 architects who could be the leading lights of architecture in the 21st century; outstanding, forward-thinking people and organisations who have the demonstrable potential to be the next big thing in the architectural world.

Celsa Pesqueira dropped in for the exhibition from CREUSeCARRASCO Arquitectos to pick up the award on her firms behalf, as did Ryo Abe of Atelier Ryo Abe and Reiulf and Kristin Ramstad from Reiulf Ramstad Architects, both successful practices from the 2011 round of the 21 for 21 Award. Partway through the evening, the attendees were treated to speeches by Arup’s Tristram Carfrae, WAN’s Tessa Schubert and Chairman of the 21 for 21 Award Jury, Peter Murray, who delighted the crowd with tales of his experience in the industry and stressed the importance of supporting young talent.

WAN took over the main exhibition space in Arup’s London office with a series of engaging display boards boasting a short explanation of each of the practices’ ethics and design inspiration, supported by a cluster of images from their existing portfolios. When quizzed on their preferred practices from our exhibition, many of the attendees were in favour of Spanish firm Creus e Carrasco Arquitectos and Vietnamese Vo Trong Nghia Co. Ltd., however each of the boards had a continuous cluster of architects, engineers and developers perusing its projects.

Unfortunately the showcase was a pop-up exhibition and therefore won’t be open to the public, however details of all of WAN’s 2012 21 for 21 Award Winners can be found here: